The Girl and Her Titan
by SoullessHeart21
Summary: When Tara Trinidad's family is shamed and accused of treason, Tara takes matters into her own hands. With the help of Annie Leonhardt, Tara will stop at nothing to reclaim what is rightfully hers, no matter how many lives have to be sacrificed in order for her to get it.
1. Chapter 1

My name is Tara Trinidad. When I was young, my father was killed in a mysterious murder. The details were hushed up. I was left alone with my mother to fend for ourselves. However, a few years later, a mysterious man named Luther Grand came along from Wall Sina. He seemed okay at first, however, I was wrong. He forced my mother into marriage and beat both her and me daily. He also forced close family friends of ours, the Leonhardts, into silence. After a few years of this, his evil deeds escalated. He became greedy and power hungry. As he grew closer and closer to the queen, his hunger for power grew. He eventually assassinated her. However, he pinned the murder on my mother and I, and he somehow provided evidence to it as well. He branded me with my real name so that no matter where I went, I would be caught for the crime that I never has since disappeared. Now, at age fifteen, I have sworn to get my revenge on Luther Grand, and I will not stop until he is dead, no matter how many lives have to be sacrificed to achieve my goal.

The hot sun beat down fiercely on my head as I stood stiffly in line, squished between two very tall, very sweaty men. They talked amiably to each other over my head. My half-sister Destiny stood a few people away, her eyes bright and her head high. I scoffed and looked away from her, focusing my attention on the other trainees.

Two lines ahead of me, a boy with dark hair was standing ramrod straight, his head high like he was someone important. Next to him was a fragile-looking boy with shaggy blond hair, standing almost as straight as the first boy and attempting to appear confident and unfazed. I smirked. He was doing a terrible job. He looked like he was about to piss his pants.

Chief Instructor Shadis suddenly stopped in front of me, and I looked up at him, shielding my eyes.

"You!" He shouted, much too loudly for my preference, "what's your name?"

"Jade Winters, sir!" I replied untruthfully, my hand moving unconsciously to the brand on my lower back. Shadis narrowed his eyes and leaned down so that we were eye level.

"And why are you here, Winters?" He demanded.

"Why not?" I replied. A few heads whipped around to look at me, genuine shock at my answer etched plainly on their faces. I smirked. Shadis grinned a little.

"Your attitude is interesting", he remarked, "however, that is exactly what will get you killed." He straightened and walked off. I grinned smugly.

"You're awfully brave", a girl next to me whispered sarcastically. I turned to her. She was blonde and shorter than me, though not much. She had blue eyes, and I found her quite attractive. She gave me a look, not exactly a dirty look, but not a friendly one either.

"If you think so", I answered back. She raised an eyebrow.

"I'm Annie", she answered.  
>"Jade", I replied. She stuck out her hand, and I took it. Her grip was firm, and her eyes never left mine as we shook hands. When we finally broke apart, her eyes roamed from mine and traveled over me, inspecting every inch. When she was finished, she smiled approvingly, and I knew she had sized me up right.<p>

"You've got a death wish", she said, but the iciness had left her voice. I nodded.

"I suppose", I answered, "though, it's more like a determination"

"To kill Titans?"

"Not exactly…"

"I see. Other plans?"

"You could say that. What about you? What brings you here?"

"What doesn't?" Annie's gaze left my eyes and traveled over the other trainees.

"Could you…elaborate?" I asked carefully. Annie nodded.

"Let's just say I have business to take care of. Like you."

"What kind of business?"

"When I trust you, I'll tell you, and I'm sure you'll do the same for me."

I understood, and I made a mental note that Annie would be a good friend to have for the future.

That night, the trainees gathered for dinner. I sat with Annie and inspected the other trainees, scouting for possible allies. Annie ate her dinner rations quietly, keeping a close eye on everyone. It was a bit unsettling. I liked it.

A sudden commotion drew my eyes towards a table separate from ours. That boy I had noticed earlier, the one with the dark hair, had a crowd gathered around him, and he was talking animatedly. Every once in a while someone would exclaim in amazement or nod in agreement, and I grew curious.

"Who's he?" I asked Annie. She swallowed her bite of bread and turned to me.

"Eren Jaeger", she answered, "apparently he's some big-shot now who's going to 'kill all the titans', like that's possible." She scoffed and took another bite of bread. I stood, handing my bread to Annie, and made my way over to Eren's table. The crowd had grown, and I pushed my way through to the front. Now Eren was yelling about joining the Survey Corps and 'killing ALL the TITANS'. I snickered, and Eren focused his gaze on me.

"You think it's funny?" He growled, and I stopped laughing.

"Of course I do", I answered, "you don't stand a chance. You don't even have any idea what you're doing." Eren glared at me, and some girl with black hair that had been standing next to him narrowed her eyes at me.

"You watch what you say", she said, starting to advance on me, but the scared little blond that I had seen in the lines held her back. I looked around and caught Annie's eye. She had a small smile on her face, and she was watching the exchange between Eren and I with slight interest.

"You don't scare me", I said to the girl.

"Well, what are _you_ joining?" Eren demanded.

"The Military Police", I answered, "I have no interest in killing Titans." Eren looked absolutely appalled, but then a look of apparent understanding dawned on his face.

"Of course", Eren scoffed, "you choose the safest option. The typical response for a spineless coward like you." I merely smiled, as he had guessed wrong.

"If that's what you think", I answered, and I turned away and walked back to Annie. She was halfway through my piece of bread, and I took it back from her.

"So", she said, "the Military Police, huh?" Her eyes held a question in them that she did not ask.

"Yeah", I said, "that's always been my plan." Annie nodded approvingly.

"That is my choice as well", she said, and she stole another piece of my bread. I smiled and finished it off.

That night, after the other trainees in my cabin had gone to bed, I slipped out of my bed. My feet hit the floor with a soft thump, and I padded lightly over to the door. I raised my arms over my head and stretched, my shirt sliding up a little. However, I was stopped by someone clearing their throat behind me. I jumped and whirled around, but relaxed when I saw it was only Annie. I silently prayed that she hadn't seen my brand.

"Where are you going?" She asked casually. I shrugged.

"Out for a walk", I answered. She nodded.

"And you weren't going to invite me?" I smiled, and she returned the smile. We exited the cabin together and stepped out into the chilly night. We walked in silence for a while, the only sound being our light breaths and soft footfalls on the pavement. Annie suddenly stopped, and I turned to her questioningly.

"Listen", she said softly, staring hard at me, "I saw that brand on your back. Don't worry. Let me explain. I've only known you for a little while, but I can already tell that I can trust you. That's a good sign. You have potential. I can see that." I nodded, prompting her to continue. "That's why I've decided to tell you this." She held up her finger, showing me a glistening silver ring with a sharp point sticking out of it. I understood immediately.

"You..." I said, "you're a Titan Shifter!" Annie smiled.

"I am." She answered, "and I have big plans for it."

"What kind of plans?" I asked with interest.

"I'm glad you asked", Annie replied, "I'm sure you remember the assassination of the queen." My fists clenched at the mention of that day, and floods of memories came racing back. However, Annie's voice snapped me back to reality.

"I'm sorry", I said, "go on."

"Well", Annie said, "as I'm sure you also know, the assassination was pinned on the Trinidad family, specifically Tara Trinidad." I nodded angrily. "However, I believe that Tara Trinidad and her mother are innocent, and the real culprit is her step-father, Luther Grand. My family and the Trinidad family have been friends for years, so I have decided that I will get my revenge on Luther Grand and on anyone else who aided him." When Annie finished, I realized my mouth was hanging open, and I quickly shut it.

"Annie...Leonhardt?" I said slowly, and Annie smiled and nodded.

"That's me." She answered.

"Well, Annie Leonhardt", I said, "I suppose it's my turn to confide in you. I guess I don't have to say much." I turned around and lifted my shirt, exposing the name Tara Trinidad branded on my lower back. There was a silence, and I wondered how Annie was taking the news. I suddenly felt fingers on my brand, warm fingers. They traced delicately over the letters, stopping at the end.

"I knew it was you…" Annie said breathlessly, and I turned around. Her eyes were bright, and she was smiling almost dazedly. "Tara Trinidad...I knew it all along…"

"You...you did?" I said. This all felt like a dream. Annie Leonhardt? It was almost too good to be true. The Leonhardts had been such close friends of the Trinidads for years and years, and they had helped us through so many hard times. They had even helped us go into hiding after we had been falsely accused of assassinating the queen. And now, here was a Leonhart, standing right in front of me.

"Of course I did…" Annie answered, "I always had a feeling." She suddenly pulled me into a tight hug, and I returned it tightly. She had tears in her eyes when we pulled apart.

"I'm going to help you", she said determinedly, "I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Annie and I sat alone at our table again. She chewed her bread in silence, and I could see the gears turning in her head. She finally turned to me, an excited look in her eye.

"I have an idea", she said, her eyes bright, "I happen to know a few names of the people who helped Grand."

"How did you get them?" I inquired.

"I have sources", Annie answered cryptically. She took another bite of bread and continued. "Once we join the MP, we can easily wipe them out."

"That's excellent", I answered. Annie grinned.

"There's more", she said, "I also happen to know that some of the children of those people are in the Survey Corps."

"The Survey Corps?" I said, "but if we join the MP, how will we get to them?"

"Hold on, I'm getting to that", Annie said, and she carefully relayed the rest of the plan to me. I listened with interest, my desire for revenge growing.

"Your plan is genius", I exclaimed when Annie was done, and she beamed.

I saw very little of Annie as our final tests drew closer. She and I were both spending our free time preparing. However, my anticipation was growing, and I didn't think I could wait until the tests were over.

Annie and I passed our tests with ease, and once they were over, we began to see each other again. However, we were soon sent on our first mission, and we lost contact once more.

I was placed on top of the wall with Eren Jaeger and a select few others. Eren was still ranting about 'killing ALL the TITANS', and I was getting a bit tired of it. Finally, I made my way over to him.

"Can you shut up?" I said. "Just for one second?" Eren's eyes widened, and I could feel his anger building up inside of him.

"Why are you even here?" Eren demanded, "you obviously don't care about killing Titans. Why don't you just go home?" I laughed and rolled my eyes.

"You don't intimidate me, Jaeger", I responded, "I'm here for reasons of my own. You've got a big ego, kid. It's gonna get you killed." Eren looked about ready to scream. I chuckled and walked away from him.

Suddenly, a huge gust of hot air blew everyone off the wall. I quickly pulled the trigger on my 3DMG and locked into the wall, staring upwards. Everyone else seemed to do the same. People were all talking excitedly, but I couldn't quite make out what was going on. Suddenly, I heard Eren's voice.

"Everyone!" he shouted, "the Colossal Titan is right there! Let's kill it while we can!" He started to fly through the air towards the Colossal Titan.

"Jaeger!" I shouted, "Are you insane?!" Eren didn't answer me. Instead, he flew around to the back of the Titan's head and aimed at the nape of its neck, swiping through the air. However, the instant his blades made contact with the Titan's skin, it vanished. Eren's jaw dropped, and he locked into the side of the wall. I snickered a little at his expression before I realized that the Colossal Titan had breached the wall. Looking down, I spotted a bunch of Titans lumbering through a gaping hole in the wall, picking up innocent civilians and chomping them down. Eren and his squad took off, immediately attempting to slay the incoming Titans. I quickly leapt from the wall and flew through the air towards the center of Wall Rose, searching for Annie. We hadn't been counting on this incident, and it threw a wrench in our plans.

As I traveled, a bloodcurdling scream reached my ears. I stopped mid-leap and landed on the roof of a building. Just across the way, I witnessed Eren dive into a bearded Titan's mouth. I silently cursed the idiot and flew over, attempting to help. Suddenly, the nervous blond kid was thrown out of the Titan's mouth, and I was hit with the realization of what was going on.

"Eren!" The blond shrieked, reaching forward.

"We can't die here…Armin..." Eren's voice reached my ears, and I turned to see Eren holding the Titan's mouth open. He reached his hand out to me and the blond kid. For some reason, I couldn't move. I could hear Armin screaming behind me, and he ran forward, desperately reaching for Eren's hand. I watched in horror as the Titan's mouth clamped shut, biting off Eren's hand. It hurtled down and splattered on the floor. Armin shrieked, and I fell to my knees, my mouth hanging open.

"Why didn't you do anything?!" He sobbed, tears streaming down his face. I merely shook my head and stood.

"I'm sorry." I said, and I stood. Not once looking back at Armin, I activated my 3DMG and took off. I flew blindly through the air until I felt a sharp tug on my wire. I looked back to see a Titan holding onto it. It pulled, and I was suddenly pulled sharply down towards the ground. I hit it hard with a sickening crunch, and I rolled onto my back, gasping for air. Heavy footfalls could be heard behind me, and I struggled to sit up, my breath coming out in short, rattling gasps. I turned to see the Titan kneeling by me, reaching its hand out towards me. It prepared to pounce, and I quickly stood and ran, ignoring the blinding pain in my leg. A crash behind me confirmed that the Titan had pounced and missed, and I sped up, the wind whistling in my ears. I turned right down an alleyway and collapsed against the wall, sliding down to the floor and pulling my knees up to my chest. The sounds of battle reached my ears, but I suddenly didn't care. The image of Eren getting devoured by that Titan played over and over in my mind, and Armin's anguished screams echoed in my ears. I leaned my head back against the wall, tears streaming down my face, and I closed my eyes.

Suddenly, the sound of heavy footfalls reached my ears, and I cursed out loud. Why now? _Why now?_ The steps grew louder, and I wearily lifted my head to face my attacker. A titan poked its ugly head around the corner and walked towards me.

"No…", I mumbled wearily, "please…" The Titan came closer and closer until it was right in front of me. It leaned down to pick me up, and I clenched my fists.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" I shrieked, shielding my face with my arms and bracing myself. However, nothing happened. I slowly opened my eyes and looked up. The Titan had stopped, staring at me intently. Then it straightened up and lumbered away, not once looking back at me. I sat there shaking for a while, wondering what the hell had just happened. That Titan had _listened_ to me! It had _listened_! I slowly stood up and stared at the place where the Titan had disappeared around the corner. Annie had to hear about this.


	3. Chapter 3

My heart raced as I flew through the city, my eyes darting around for Annie. I finally found her standing on the roof of a building, staring out over the battle. I landed clumsily next to her, and she turned her head calmly to me.

"Annie!" I said, out of breath, "you will never believe what just happened."

"I've seen a lot today", Annie answered, "I'll probably believe you." I grinned despite myself.

"I was about to get eaten", I said, and Annie's eyes darkened a little, but she continued listening.

"Go on."

"Right. And, I simply yelled at it to get away from me. And you know what it did? It just stared at me, turned around, and left."

"...what?" Annie's eyes widened.

"Yes!" I said.

Annie stared hard at me, and I could nearly see her thought process. Finally, she took a deep breath and began to speak. "Tara, this is amazing. I didn't think people like you actually existed."

"What do you mean 'people like me'?" I asked.

"Titan Whisperers", she said quietly, glancing around to make sure no one was listening, "I didn't think they were real. But you just proved me wrong."

"So what you're saying is...I can communicate with Titans?"

"That's right. This can be a great advantage to us, Tara, do you realize this?"

"I do."

Annie turned back towards the battle, her blonde hair falling into her eyes a little. I watched her for a second before sitting down on the roof. Annie sat next to me.

Suddenly, the sound of a Titan roar cut across the noises of the battle. Annie stood abruptly, and I lifted my head towards the sound.

"That wasn't a normal Titan roar", Annie mused, tilting her head towards the sound and listening. I stood too, surveying the city. My eyes landed on something unusual, and I alerted Annie to its presence.

"That", I said, pointing to it. Annie's eyes narrowed a little, and she frowned.

"Another Titan Shifter", she said darkly, "I can tell."

"We can use it", I answered, and Annie shook her head.

"It depends who it is", she replied, "and it depends where its morals lie." I fell silent, thinking this over and watching the Titan Shifter as it pummeled the other Titans.

There was a thump next to us, and I looked over to see Armin standing there, his hair plastered to his face with sweat and blood.

"The supplies have been liberated", he said, and Annie rolled her eyes.

"I know", she said, "I was there."

"I wasn't", I chimed in, "how did you do it?"

"That Titan", Armin said, pointing towards the Titan Shifter, "it helped." He fixed his ocean blue eyes on me. "Why do you think it's fighting the other Titans?"

"I have no idea", I lied easily, catching Annie's eye. She nodded approvingly.

Suddenly, the Titan Shifter collapsed with fatigue. The other Titans surrounding it attacked at once, eating away at the flesh. Armin activated his 3DMG and moved to get closer, Annie and I following suit. I trained my eyes at the nape of the Shifter's neck, hoping to catch a glimpse of whoever it was inside the Titan body. The muscle on the neck pulsed, and I strained my neck to see. The muscle started to tear, and a human figure burst through it. My mouth fell open at the sight. It couldn't be…

"Eren?!" Armin said incredulously, "the Titan was...Eren?! But how?" Annie and I glanced at each other, and she pulled me away from Armin.

"We can't use him", I said, and she nodded quickly.

"No", she said, "in fact, we must get rid of him."

"Get rid of him?" I said. "Why?"

"If the Survey Corps decide to use him as an ally, he could seriously get in our way", Annie said, and I agreed.

"But why would the Survey Corps use him as an ally?"

"Don't you see? A Titan on the human side? That gives humanity more power than we have now. It's something. Trust me."

We fell silent, watching as a crowd gathered around Eren, and as that black haired girl sobbed pathetically into his chest. Annie snickered next to me, and I grinned.

Suddenly, the MP was here, and they surrounded Eren, Armin, and Mikasa, aiming their rifles at them. Annie and I watched with growing fascination from the rooftop.

"Should we help?" Jean asked, landing lightly next to us. Annie shook her head.

"They can handle it", she said softly, and Jean shrugged. Armin started yelling about how Eren could be trusted, and how they were good soldiers, and I snickered.

"You shouldn't laugh!" a shrill voice cried next to me, and I turned to see Destiny standing there, her hands on her hips and an appalled expression plastered on her face. "Those are our comrades down there!" I grinned and turned to her, reminding myself to keep my identity a secret. She needn't know we were related. Not yet.

"Why not?" I responded, smirking at her. "This is hilarious. They're pathetic."

"They're begging for their lives!" Destiny retorted. "You're disgusting to laugh!" I merely rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to the action.

Just as they were about to fire, Dot Pixis spoke up and stopped them. My eyes widened, and I leaned forward expectantly. Annie raised an eyebrow. Pixis started relaying a plan about how they could use Eren to fix the hole in the wall. It took a while, but soon everyone else agreed. Then he turned his attention to the various soldiers spectating the exchange.

"Everyone is to protect Eren at all costs while he seals that hole!" He shouted. "Do not let any Titans get in our way!" Annie and I glanced at each other, and Annie leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"Now would be the perfect time to get out", she said, and I nodded in agreement.

"Where do we go?" I asked.

"We'll have to walk", she responded, "I know a place we can hide in Wall Maria. But we will have to be quick."

"It'll take days to walk there", I responded, "are you up for it?"

Annie grinned. "Are you?"


	4. Chapter 4

Annie was quick on her feet, and it was incredibly difficult to keep up with her. We darted in between the various alleyways and clusters of houses. On each of our back we carried a rucksack filled with loaves of bread and flasks of water that Annie had somehow managed to snatch from the kitchens of the trainee camp.

"Annie", I wheezed, stopping to catch my breath and bracing myself against a wall, "can't we just use the 3DMG? It's much quicker."

Annie stopped and turned to face me, annoyance clear in her eyes. She pulled a flask of water from her bag and thrust it into my hands.

"Here", she said, "if you're so tired, drink a sip. And you know exactly why we can't use the 3DMG." I took a dainty sip, then Annie snatched it back.

"I'm sorry", I said, and Annie sighed, tucking the flask back in her bag.

"It's alright", she said, "I didn't mean to get upset. Let's just keep moving, alright? We have a very long way to go." She took off again, and I followed quickly after. We made nearly no noise as we ran, the only sounds being our light footsteps and our quick breaths. Annie's steps never slowed, and she had a hard, determined look in her eyes.

After we had run for a few hours, the sun started to sink down lower in the sky, and our steps slowed to a walk. The noises of battle had died down behind us, the crashes reduced to muffled thumps. We could also hear the occasional distant roar of Titan Eren. Annie and I walked along, side by side, huddled close together as the air grew colder. My stomach growled in hunger, and Annie glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, smirking.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" She said.

"No", I lied, "we should keep moving." My stomach growled again, louder this time. Annie smiled and reached into her rucksack, pulling out two flasks of water. She sat on the floor, her back against the wall, and took a sip from her flask, patting the floor next to her.

"Come on", she said, "it's a good place to stop for now anyway." I shrugged and sat down next to her, pulling two loaves of bread out of my bag. I handed her one, and in turn she handed me a flask of water. We chewed our bread in silence, watching the sun sink lower and lower behind the horizon. I glanced at her. Her blue eyes were fixed on the setting sun, and the pieces of blonde hair that had fallen out of her bun blew gently in the breeze. She glanced at me, and I quickly averted my eyes, focusing on chewing my bread thoroughly. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Annie smiling at me, and then she too lowered her eyes.

"Hey", Annie said softly.

"Hm?" I said, not looking up.

"You okay?" She put her hand on my shoulder gently, and I looked up slowly. Our eyes locked for just a moment.

"Yeah", I answered quietly, "just...just tired." Her eyes reflected the moon, and in the soft evening light, they looked incredibly beautiful. Our gaze held for just a minute longer, and then a small blush spread over Annie's cheeks, and she looked out over the darkening sky.

"Then we should rest", Annie said, and she placed her empty flask off to the side. I stretched out on the ground, staring up at the star-filled sky. Annie laid down next to me, a little close I thought, and stared up too.

"Tara", she said softly, and I turned to look at her.

"Yeah?" I said.

"We're going to be alright, aren't we?"

"We are. Once we finish what we started."

Annie didn't answer. I felt her lace her fingers through mine, and I turned to look at her, but her gaze was still focused on the stars. She finally closed her eyes and turned so she was facing me, not once letting go of my hand. I closed my eyes too, and slowly sleep overcame me.


	5. Chapter 5

When I awoke, Annie was already awake and standing, her back against the wall with one foot propped up against it. Her bag was already in her hand, and when I sat up, she looked down expectantly.

"Morning", she said brightly as I stood up and stretched. My hand still felt warm from Annie holding it all night.

"Morning." I replied sleepily.

"Sleep well?" Annie asked, and the warmth spread from my hand to my cheeks. I blushed and looked away.

"Yes", I answered. I picked up my bag and slung it over my shoulder.

"Ready?" Annie slung her bag into her back as well.

"Yeah", I replied, "we have a long day ahead of us."

Our feet made soft crunching noises as we started our trek, and the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon. I could see the wall coming back into view, far away from where the Colossal Titan had breached the wall just yesterday. I gazed up at it, my breath catching in my throat. We were here. We had made it.

"Now we can use our 3DMG", Annie said, and I nodded. We glanced around for anyone watching us, but everyone was preoccupied far away with fighting to reclaim Trost. Annie activated her 3DMG and flew forward, locking into the side of the wall. I followed close behind, landing with a light thump next to her. We continued in this fashion, locking into the wall, then activating the maneuver gear and propelling ourselves upward. It was tedious work, and by the time we reached the top, we were sweaty and out of breath. We stood on top of the wall, and from up there, we could just barely make out Trost, a distant speck.

"Come on", Annie said, and she leapt over the edge of the wall. She locked into the other side and proceeded to repel herself down the wall to the other side. I followed after her, and soon our feet hit the ground inside of Wall Maria. We stood there for a second, breathing heavily and looking around. The Titans that had invaded Wall Maria hadn't noticed us yet, but it wouldn't take long until they did. Annie and I began moving at once, weaving in and out between the houses, searching for an empty one that could serve as a temporary shelter. It would be a while before we could actually put our plan into action. We finally found a small house perfect for the two of us, and we entered it. It was a bit eerie when I thought about what had happened here so I tried to push it out of my mind.

"Hungry?" Annie said, pulling two more flasks of water out of her bag. I nodded and pulled bread out of my bag. We sat down at the table, dusty from days of being unused. The air had a sort of mustiness to it, and it made me uneasy. We ate in silence as we usually did, and as I did, my mind drifted to thoughts of Destiny.

It hadn't been long since I had seen my half-sister last.I found it ironic that she still didn't know who I was. I had been at Dose Reest grabbing a quick snack when I had seen her walk in with two boys. She looked tired and hungry, and also quite battered. I watched with interest as the two boys bought her a meal, and I frowned indignantly. All I had in front of me was a glass of water. I couldn't afford anything else. She suddenly looked over at me, and I glared daggers at her. She didn't look at me again after that, and I hadn't seen her again until we both ended up at the same training camp.

Annie's soft voice pulled me back to reality, and I swallowed my bite of bread.

"I was saying", she said again, "I'm not exactly sure when the first Survey Corps expedition will be, but when it does happen, Eren will be a part of it. I'm sure."

"And we'll take him out", I answered, and Annie nodded.

The day wore on, and it was virtually uneventful. Most of my day was spent fending off the Titans that had ventured too close to our shelter while Annie spent the day inside, going over minor details in our plan. Eventually I just resorted to using my Whisperer powers to command a Titan to keep the other Titans away. However, it gave me a major headache. It took a great amount of concentration to merely send a message to the Titans, let alone convince them to do something.

Annie looked up when I came in and collapsed on the couch, my head pounding.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I have a headache", I sighed, "I over exerted myself." Annie clucked her tongue and got a bowl and a washcloth from the kitchen. She filled the bowl with water and soaked the washcloth in it, then sat down next to me and began to dab at my forehead. She was sitting a bit close to me, and I caught the scent of something sweet, almost like roses. It was intoxicating.

"You work too hard sometimes", Annie commented softly.

"I could say the same thing about you, Annie", I answered. Annie stopped holding the washcloth to my head and looked at me, smiling.

The sun was starting to set, and it cast a warm glow over the small room. Annie set the bowl and the washcloth on the floor and curled up on the couch, twirling her silver ring between her fingers. I watched the sunlight glinting off the metal, and it took me a while before I looked up and noticed Annie watching me, a small smile on her face and a blush spreading across her cheeks. I blushed as well, but didn't look away. Her blue eyes sparkled, and she brushed a strand of her hair out of her eyes. I finally looked away, my face reddening even more. I heard Annie chuckle softly, and she laced her fingers with mine.

"It's getting late", she said, and she stretched her legs out across the length of the couch, using the armrest as a pillow. I debated for a second before moving over to her. I rested my head on her lower chest, and to my surprise, I felt her wrap her arms around me. I glanced up at her, and she suddenly planted a soft, quick kiss on my forehead.

"Goodnight, Tara", she murmured, and we both drifted off into sleep.

The days went by quickly, and the memory of Annie's kiss played over and over in my head, although it seemed as if Annie had totally forgotten about it, or maybe she didn't care. She hadn't mentioned it once since it happened. Maybe it had simply been a platonic gesture, although I desperately hoped otherwise.

Finally, the day came when the Survey Corps began their expedition. Annie and I watched excitedly and unnoticed as the Survey Corps lined their horses up in front of the gate. We mentally took note of Eren's position.

The gates opened, and the horses began to gallop forward. We waited patiently until the hooves had somewhat died down. I stood back, and Annie raised her hand to her mouth. I covered my ears as a flash shook Wall Maria. When I opened my eyes, Annie had disappeared, and in her place was a giant female Titan with blue eyes and blonde hair. She looked around for a second.

"Down here", I said, concentrating hard, and Titan Annie looked down at me. Her eyes showed a flash of recognition, and she bent down and stuck out her hand. I stepped onto the palm of her hand, and she raised me up to the top of her head, setting me gently in her hair. I found my grip and comfortable position, and then Annie started to climb Wall Maria. She dropped down to the other side, landing with a loud thump on the ground outside the Walls. The air was clearer out here, but I barely had time to even take a deep breath before Annie took off running. Our mission had begun.


	6. Chapter 6

Annie was incredibly fast as a Titan, and she barrelled after the Survey Corps, the ground shaking with every step she took. I grabbed fistfuls of her hair, which still smelled surprisingly like roses and vanilla, and held on for dear life.

The right flank of the Survey Corps started to come into view, and some of them cast glances over their shoulders at us, pure terror etched on their faces. Annie plowed through them, crushing some under her feet. There were splatters of blood and the sound of crunching bones, and I grinned.

Annie pushed on past the right flank, leaving whatever remained of them to be devoured by the other Titans that were lumbering around. Annie turned and sprinted a little to the left, and I could see more members of the Survey Corps coming into view. There were only three this time: Reiner, Jean, and Armin. They looked up in horror as Annie approached. She barrelled straight through them as well, sending them flying off their horses. annie skidded to a stop, and they all looked up at her in terror. She bent down to Armin and lifted him up by his hood, inspecting his face.

"It's just Armin", I murmured to Annie, and she nodded slightly and set Armin down.

"Eren's not here", Annie's voice echoed in my head, "let's keep going." I nodded, and Annie straightened up.

Suddenly, I heard yelling, and I looked down to see Reiner flying towards Annie, his blades at the ready. Annie spun around and grabbed him in her hand, squeezing. There was a splatter of blood, and I felt certain he was dead. However, Reiner sliced himself out of Annie's hand and tumbled to the ground. Jean flew towards Annie as well, aiming at the nape of Annie's neck.

"Heads up", I murmured, and Annie covered the back of her neck and hardened the skin on her hand. Jean's blade struck the skin, yet it did nothing. He landed back on the floor, cursing.

"Avenge him!" Armin yelled from the ground. "Avenge the Suicidal Bastard!" Blood was pouring down his face. Annie whirled around at the sound of Eren Jaeger's nickname, and Armin's eyes widened. I leaned forward to see, but Annie suddenly took off again, running towards the forest. I lost my grip on her hair and started to fall from her head.

"Annie!" I shrieked, but she was either ignoring me, or I didn't concentrate enough. She kept running, and I slipped from her head, hurtling towards the ground. I shrieked and closed my eyes, bracing for impact.

I heard the sound of a 3DMG, and I suddenly landed hard in someone's arms. The person caught me, and then we both tumbled to the ground. I landed splayed on top of my rescuer, and I raised my head up to look at him. My eyes met with ocean blue ones.

"Armin?" I gasped.

"Jade?!" Armin's eyes were wide with shock and confusion. His arm was still around my waist where he had caught me, dangerously close to my rear end. I realized with sudden embarrassment where my hand had landed. Armin shifted a little under me, my hand slid a little bit, and a deep blush spread over Armin's cheeks. I quickly climbed off of him and sat up, rubbing my head.

"Jade, what are you doing here?" Armin asked, sitting up, "you're supposed to be in the Military Police! It's illegal for you to be outside the walls!"

I didn't answer. I tried to stand up, but an intense sharp pain shot through my leg, and I collapsed. Armin caught me before I hit the ground.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"My leg…" I managed. Armin scooped me up in his arms bridal style and put me on his horse.

"I'll take you to the wagon", he said, climbing onto his horse in front of me, "but you're going to have a lot of explaining to do to Commander Erwin."

_Probably not_, I thought, but I remained silent. Armin kicked his horse, and I wrapped my arms around his waist for support.

We galloped towards the forest, Jean and Reiner catching up behind us.

"Oi!" Jean called. "Armin! Who's that on your horse?"

"It's Jade", Armin answered.

"How did she get here?" Reiner asked. "She's in the Military Police!"

"Why don't you mind your own business?" I shot back, and Reiner shut up, but he cast me a dark glare.

Soon, we reached the wagon, and Armin dropped me off. Then, he, Jean, and Reiner galloped off towards the forest, apparently making a change of plans in the mission. I was met with looks of confusion from the other occupants of the wagon, but I ignored them and made myself comfortable. One of the nurses came over and inspected my leg, and I tried desperately not to look her in the eyes for fear of being recognized.

"Your leg is fractured", she stated, "it's not horribly broken. We'll wrap it up, and then it should heal quickly." I silently cursed under my breath. This definitely screwed with our plans.

I rode in the wagon for what seemed like an eternity, my leg neatly bandaged. Around me, flares were going up, the colors varying from red to black. I figured Annie had made appearances everywhere by this time, and by the looks of it, she still hadn't found Eren.

Suddenly, a horrible scream reached my ears. It sounded like a Titan roar, but female. Annie….

I bolted upright and strained my neck to see. I could just barely make out the outline of the forest, and I could see hordes of Titans running in, apparently answering to Annie's roar. What was she doing? However, all I could do was watch helplessly and pray.


	7. Chapter 7

The sounds of combat floated out from the forest as I sat in the wagon, my heart pounding. Suddenly, the sound of a Titan roar reached my ears, but this one was different than Annie's. Where had I heard it before? Then it hit me. Eren.

The sounds of combat grew louder and louder, but I knew Annie would be strong enough to take him on. She had to be. The crash of falling trees and the shouts of the Survey Corps members reached my ears. I bit my lip to keep myself from crying out. There was one last roar, and then everything went quiet. The only sound that remained was the loud thumps of giant footsteps, Annie's or Eren's I didn't know. My heart was in my throat, and then I saw commander Erwin and the rest of Levi's team retreat from the forest, Eren with them. They looked crestfallen, and a smile spread over my face. Annie had gotten away.

The procession back to the Walls was generally somber, save for me of course. I was ecstatic that Annie had escaped, yet I was a bit upset that our mission had failed. We had failed to retrieve Eren. This would make it a lot harder to complete our ultimate goal, but it wasn't impossible.

As we reentered the Walls, we were greeted by cheers that slowly melted into distraught cries and gasps of astonishment. I scanned the crowd and caught sight of a blonde girl standing a bit away from the crowd in plain clothes, her hair down and covering half of her face. Her face was impassive. She suddenly caught my eye and smiled a little, lifting her hair away from her face briefly. I would recognize those gorgeous blue eyes anywhere. Annie. She was well disguised. She had gotten back with impeccable speed, and I silently praised her for that.

The wagons rumbled to a halt, and I was suddenly grabbed from behind. My arms were pinned behind my back, and I was yanked from the wagon and to the floor. I gritted my teeth as I landed on my fractured leg.

"What the hell were you doing outside the walls?" A voice hissed in my ear. Captain Levi…

I refused to answer, and I stared up at him defiantly. I received a hard kick to the stomach for my rudeness.

"I asked you a question", Levi said calmly, "now please answer it." By now a small crowd has gathered around me and Levi, and I felt my cheeks grow hot. The fear of being recognized returned, and I lowered my head a little so my red hair covered part of my face. I spotted Annie standing a bit away, observing, and I wondered if I could still communicate with her in her human form using Titan language.

"Annie", I thought, concentrating hard. I saw her give a little start, and her captivating blue eyes locked with mine.

"Hey", her voice echoed in my head. It had worked.

"What do I tell him?" I said to her, and she closed her eyes for a second.

"Tell him you were captured", she said at last, "it may not work, but they can't prove anything."

I slowly looked up at Levi, careful to keep my hair in my face, and willed myself to cry. I had always been a good actress. I could feel my eyes filling with tears, and I smiled discreetly. I locked eyes with Levi, the tears spilling over.

"It was horrible", I said shakily, "that...that Titan, it...it had me in its grasp...I couldn't escape...I thought I would die..." I heard some people in the crowd gasp and murmur sympathetically.

"Would it really be so bad to be in my grasp?" Annie's voice echoed playfully in my head. "I thought you liked it when I held you." A deep blush spread over my cheeks, and it took all I had not to smile.

"Are you trying to get us caught?" I replied teasingly, "don't distract me."

Levi's expression didn't change. He yanked me to my feet, and I winced as my weight was put on my leg.

"We'll hold you for questioning", Levi stated, and he dragged me away. We were flanked by two Military Police soldiers, both of them casting me curious glances as we walked. As we passed the Survey Corps, they looked up at me in confusion, and Armin stared at me wide-eyed.

I was put in a cell under constant guard. Levi peered in through the bars at me, disgust evident on his face.

"I don't believe your story for a second", he said, "and I will get the truth out of you. Until then, you will stay here."

I glared daggers at the back of his head as he left, leaving me with the guards. They ignored me, so I decided to inspect the lock to decide if there was any way to escape. To my dismay, I discovered that the lock was impossible to open without a key, and I wouldn't even bother trying to break the chain. I retreated back to the dingy bed in the middle of the room and sat down. Our plan was falling apart right in front of our eyes, and there was nothing I could do to fix it. My hopes of clearing my family name and getting revenge on my step-father were dwindling. I could only hope that Annie had a plan to get me out of here.

"Annie", I thought, and I listened for a while, but I received no answer. I tried again an hour later, but still nothing. Eventually, I just gave up and curled up on the bed, drifting into a fitful sleep.


	8. Chapter 8

I was awoken in the middle of the night by a soft scuffling noise outside of my cell. I sat up, peering towards the bars, my eyes slowly becoming adjusted to the darkness.

"Tara?" A soft voice whispered, and I practically leaped out of bed.

"Annie!" I whispered back, my eyes finding hers in the darkness. She smiled softly, placing her hand over mine where I gripped tightly to the metal bars. She reached her other hand in and gently brushed a strand of my blood red hair out of my eyes.

"How did you get in here?" I asked. Annie shrugged.

"It wasn't hard", she answered, "the guards are asleep, and I can pick a simple door lock."

"You must be light on your feet." I commented, to which Annie smiled.

"You know I am."

We stared at each other for a while, not needing to say anything. Our fingers subconsciously laced together. She rested her forehead against the bars, and I rested mine against hers. I could feel her light breaths on my face, and I smiled softly.

"I'll get you out of here", Annie said finally, "we aren't going to give up here."

I nodded, and Annie squeezed my hand. Suddenly, one of the guards stirred, and Annie glanced over her shoulder.

"I should go", she said softly, but she lingered a little.

"Annie", I said gently, "you really should go." Annie nodded. She pulled me as close as I could get to the bars and planted a soft kiss on my cheek before releasing my hand and disappearing into the darkness. I stared out after her for a bit before returning to my bed and pulling the covers tight around me, my cheek warm from where Annie had kissed me.

The next morning, the guards woke me up by clanging their blades against the metal bars. I bolted upright in bed, clutching my head, which throbbed from trying to contact Annie the entire previous day.

"Can you idiots keep it down?" I snapped. One of the guards snickered.

"You have a visitor." He sneered. "Not sure why anyone would want to visit you." I groaned and slid out of bed. If it was Captain Levi coming to pressure me for answers again, it was going to be a long day. However, I was met with a surprise. Destiny was standing there, her eyes wide with wonder. She was standing a bit away from the bars as if she was afraid I would attack her like a caged animal.

"Why are you here, Denora?" I asked, using the fake name she had assumed. I couldn't figure out why she would come to visit me. She didn't know we were related.

"I…" she stammered, and she cleared her throat. "How did you get outside the walls, Jade?" Jade. So she didn't know after all.

"Didn't you hear?" I responded innocently. "That Titan had me. She was going to eat me!" I pretended to get teary eyed at the mere mention of it. However, Destiny crossed her arms and assumed a skeptical expression.

"I'll believe that when Armin gets a haircut." She responded. I frowned in mock disapproval.

"Oh, don't say things like that", I responded, "I like Armin's hair." Destiny rolled her eyes.

"Jade", she responded, "be serious. You're in hot water right now, and I want to know why you were outside the walls."

"There's a lot you probably want to know about me", I said. Destiny's face reddened, and I smiled.

"I just want to know why you went outside the walls. Is that so hard?" She was barely refraining from shouting at me. I leaned in close to her.

"You know what I would like to know, Destiny Haven?" I said. Destiny's eyes widened. "Why you're talking to me when you could be completing your mission to clear your family's name." Her mouth dropped open, and she took a few steps back.

"How did you…" She stammered.

"Oh, that's an easy one", I said lightly, "I'm your half-sister, Tara Trinidad." Destiny's hands went over her mouth, and I grinned.

"Tara Trinidad?" She said. "You're wanted for murder!"

"As are you, Destiny Haven." I said. Destiny's face darkened.

"How could you be my sister?" She inquired.

"Luther Grand was incredibly busy after I was born." I retorted. Destiny backed away even more.

"I should report you", She said slowly. I laughed.

"Right", I responded, "and I'll report you right back. I know where your brand is." Her hand instinctively flew to her lower back, and she frowned.

"Fine", she said, "I'll hold my tongue. How are you planning to clear your name anyway? Maybe I can help you?"

"I'm planning on killing Luther Grand", I stated. Destiny gasped and looked utterly disgusted.

"That won't clear your name", she said, "that'll only make it look worse."

"Oh really? And what's your plan?"

"Well, I was planning to just steal some records and prove that I was not the one who committed the crime."

"Boring."

"Wh-what?"

"That's boring."

"I don't…"

"Don't you want to get revenge? Don't you want to make him suffer like he make you suffer?"

"No. I don't."

"Strange."

"Tara…"

Suddenly, the guard poked his head in.

"Time's up", he snapped, and he took Destiny away. She didn't once look at me as she was led away. I watched her go with an amused look on my face before retiring back to my bed.


	9. Chapter 9

It was late at night when I tried to contact Annie again. I didn't have high expectations that she would hear me, but I figured I might as well try. I hated to admit it, but it was awfully lonely in that cell.

"Annie…" I thought, and I received no answer. "Annie...please answer." Nothing. It had been a few days since Destiny had come to visit me, and I was starting to get restless. Levi had come in at least three times since Destiny's visit and pushed me for answers. I never gave him any, but I could tell that he was getting impatient, and even I knew never to make Levi angry. My hopes were wearing thinner and thinner. What if Annie had been caught? She was disguised pretty well, but there was always that possibility. I didn't know what I would do without her. I would never admit it to her, but I was in love with her, and she meant everything to me. Everything she had done for me was valuable.

I was about to fall asleep when I heard a commotion outside my cell. One of the guards shouted, and there was the sound of swishing blades. The shout abruptly stopped, and the dull thud of a body hitting the floor and blood splattering filled the room. There were more shouts, and then three more dull thuds and blood splatters. I raced to the front of my cell and clung to the bars, straining my eyes to see what was going on. Annie was suddenly there, holding the blades from her 3DMG. They were dripping with blood, and she had a bit of blood splattered on her neck and her hands. She grinned at me and held up the key to my cell in her bloody hand. I smiled back and watched excitedly as she unlocked the lock. The doors to the cell creaked open, and she dropped her blades with a clang. She ran forward and pulled me into her arms, holding me tightly to her. I hugged her back, holding her as if we only had seconds left together. When we finally pulled apart, both our eyes were filled with tears.

"Tara…" she said softly, placing her hand on my cheek, "I told you I'd get you out of here."

"I believed you", I responded. Her hand had traveled to the back of my neck, and she leaned close to me. I closed my eyes, reaching my hand out to her cheek. Her lips collided softly and sweetly with mine, and it was pure bliss. Our lips moved against each other's in perfect harmony, and I buried my hands in her soft blonde hair, pulling it loose from her bun. It cascaded over her shoulders. Her hands gripped me tightly, one on my waist and the other on the back of my neck possessively. I snaked my arms around her neck, pulling her deeper into the kiss. Her hand moved from my neck to grip the other side of my waist, and she pressed her body against mine.

We slowly pulled apart, breathing heavily, our lips red and swollen and shiny with saliva. Her eyes positively glistened, and she was smiling dreamily.

"Annie…" I sighed, and I watched her as she re-tied her bun. Her eyes never left mine, and they glistened like sapphires in the low evening moonlight. She took my hand gently in hers.

"Come on", she said, "let's get out of here." I followed her, stepping lightly over the bodies that now littered the ground.

We burst out of the jail and into the dark night, the cool breeze nipping at our cheeks. There was a large contrast in temperature from the cell to the air outside, although maybe it just felt warm inside the cell because of our kiss. Regardless, Annie and I huddled close together for warmth and took off, trying to take ourselves as far away from the prison as possible. It would only take until morning for someone to find the empty cell and bloody bodies.

Annie's hand felt warm in mine as we ran, and a deep blush spread over my cheeks. The taste of her lips still lingered on mine, and I suddenly longed for more. However, that would have to wait.

Annie suddenly stopped running, and I looked up to see that we had reached Wall Rose. It seemed like so long ago since Annie and I had first scaled this wall. She was already activating her 3DMG, and I followed suit, launching myself upward and locking into the wall right behind her. And so we scaled the wall in the same fashion that we had done before, rappelling down the other side and dropping down to the ground.

The Titans were still lumbering around, but we entered Wall Maria unnoticed. The house that we had stayed in previously was still intact, completely undisturbed by Titans. We quickly entered the house and looked around.

Our rucksacks were still here from when we had stayed here previously. The water was still good, but the bread was stale and moldy. We went through about six flasks of water altogether.

When we had finished, I climbed into the bed and pulled the covers up around me. They smelled musty, but they were still fresher than the rags I had used in my cell. I felt Annie slide into bed next to me, and I blushed. Her hand found mine, and she turned to face me. My hand found her cheek, and it didn't take long for our lips to be on each other's again, kissing more hungrily and passionately. Her hands were running through my hair and my hands were on the small of her back, her shoulders, her waist, everywhere I could get my hands on. And then her tongue was caressing my bottom lip, and my hands were in her hair, and her hands were running over my body, and we couldn't stop.

We finally pulled apart for air, and she was positively glowing. She was so beautiful, and I traced my finger gently over her jawline. She blushed and cuddled into me, tucking her chin in the crook of my neck. I rested my head on hers and pulled her close to me, and we drifted off into blissful sleep.


End file.
